Perth, March 1: Multiple airlines have cancelled, diverted or suspended flights after the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, triggering widespread airspace disruptions across the Middle East.
Major aviation hubs in the UAE have also been impacted, with Dubai International Airport reporting damage and Zayed International Airport (Abu Dhabi) referenced in official statements regarding casualties and injuries, adding to the fast-moving disruption across regional air corridors.
Qatar Airways confirmed its flight operations remain temporarily suspended due to the closure of Qatari airspace, and said it will resume services once authorities announce it is safe to reopen.
The airline has warned of delays once operations restart, and said additional ground staff have been deployed to assist affected travellers.
Qatar Airways said a further update will be provided March 2 by 09:00 Doha time (06:00 UTC).
Passengers have been advised to monitor the airline’s website, app and official channels for the latest information.
Elsewhere, Singapore Airlines Group said six SIA and Scoot flights were cancelled, including services on the Singapore–Dubai and Singapore–Jeddah routes, while Malaysia Airlines reported four cancellations and two diversions amid heightened tensions.
According to Reuters, a growing list of international carriers has adjusted schedules and routes due to airspace risks across the region, with further cancellations and disruptions possible as the situation evolves.
- AEGEAN Airlines – Suspended flights to/from Tel Aviv, Beirut and Erbil until March 2.
- Air France–KLM – Air France cancelled Tel Aviv and Beirut flights for Saturday; KLM brought forward its Amsterdam–Tel Aviv suspension, cancelling Saturday’s service.
- British Airways – Cancelled flights to Tel Aviv and Bahrain until March 3, and its Saturday flight to Amman.
- Iberia Express – Cancelled its Tel Aviv flight scheduled for Saturday.
- IndiGo – Said it is monitoring regional updates.
- Japan Airlines – Cancelled Tokyo Haneda–Doha on Saturday and a return flight on March 1.
- LOT Polish Airlines – Returned a Warsaw–Dubai service back to Warsaw.
- Lufthansa – Suspended Tel Aviv, Beirut and Oman until March 7, and suspended services to/from Dubai on Saturday and Sunday; also said it will avoid several regional airspaces until March 7.
- Norwegian Air – Suspended flights to/from Dubai until March 4.
- Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) – Suspended its Saturday Copenhagen–Tel Aviv flight.
- Turkish Airlines – Cancelled flights to Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, the UAE and Oman on Saturday; cancelled flights to Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran and Jordan until March 2.
- Virgin Atlantic – Avoiding Iraqi airspace and cancelled its London Heathrow–Dubai service on Saturday.
- Wizz Air – Halted flights to/from Israel, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Amman until March 7.
Meanwhile, Australia has escalated its travel advice for the United Arab Emirates to “Do Not Travel”, warning of a rapidly deteriorating security environment, potential movement restrictions, airspace closures and major disruptions with little notice.
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